October 1, 2026
How Card-to-Crypto Payments Work: On-Ramps Explained for Merchants
When a customer pays by card and you receive USDC, a regulated on-ramp sits in the middle. Here's exactly what happens, who handles what, and what it costs.
"Accept cards, receive stablecoins" sounds like magic. It isn't — it relies on on-ramps, regulated companies that sell crypto for card payments. Understanding how they work helps you set expectations for your customers and your own accounting.
The players
- The customer pays with a card.
- The on-ramp (for example Stripe's crypto on-ramp, Coinbase Pay, PayPal, Revolut, Transak, Banxa, Topper) is licensed to sell crypto. It charges the card and runs its own compliance checks.
- The gateway (Vulta) creates the payment, picks providers that work for the customer's country and amount, and watches the blockchain for the transfer.
- You receive the stablecoin in your wallet.
Step by step
- Your checkout asks Vulta for a card payment.
- Vulta selects providers available for the customer's country, currency and amount, and opens the provider's page.
- The customer enters card details on the provider's page. Some providers ask for an ID check, usually on first use.
- The provider charges the card and purchases USDC.
- The USDC is sent to a one-time forwarding address created for this payment, which passes it on to your wallet automatically. That's why the provider's page shows an address that isn't yours.
- Vulta detects the transfer, verifies the amount and marks the payment as paid — firing your webhook if you use one.
Who handles what
| Concern | Handled by |
|---|---|
| Card charge and authorization | The on-ramp |
| Payer identity checks | The on-ramp |
| Card disputes with the card network | The on-ramp |
| Choosing a provider that works for the payer | Vulta |
| Detecting and confirming the payment | Vulta |
| Delivering what you sold, refunds | You |
Costs
On-ramps charge a fee — usually a few percent — and have minimum amounts (often $5–$30). The fee is shown on the provider's page. Vulta takes 0% of the payment.
Why there are several providers
No single on-ramp works everywhere. Coverage depends on the payer's country, card type, currency and amount. Offering many providers, filtered automatically, is the difference between "card payments" on paper and payments that actually go through.
What you receive
USDC on Polygon in most cases; a few providers settle another asset or network to the same address (for example USDC on Ethereum or POL on Polygon). The card payments overview shows how to set this up.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some customers have to verify their identity?
On-ramps are regulated businesses that sell crypto, so they must check who they sell to — often on a first purchase or above a certain amount. The check happens on the provider's page, not on yours.
How long does a card-to-crypto payment take?
Usually a few minutes from card approval to the USDC arriving in your wallet, depending on the provider and the network.
Who sets the exchange rate?
The provider quotes the rate and its fee on its page. The amount you set is what the payment is for; the provider's fee is added for the customer or priced into your product.
Why does the provider's page show a wallet address that isn't mine?
Each card payment gets a one-time forwarding address. The provider sends the USDC there, and it is passed on to your wallet automatically. Vulta checks on-chain that the transfer reached your address before marking the payment paid.
What happens if the provider fails to deliver the USDC?
The payment isn't marked paid until the transfer is detected on-chain. If a customer reports paying but nothing arrived, the provider's support can trace the order.